Detachable button



W. J. SMITH.

DETACHABLE BUTTON.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.28. IsIe.

Il, l 93,935 Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

S14/vento@ @Hummm l WILLIAM J. SMITH, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT.

DETACHABIIE BUTTON.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

Application filed February 28, 1916. Serial No. 81,015.

v To all whom it may concern.:

` able Buttons; and I do hereby declare the ginal Aedges following to be a full,"clear, and exact dcscription lof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in separable fasteners and is directed more particularly to a garment button embodying separable elements whereby it may be readily attached to or detached from a gar- Irfent.

An object of the invention resides in the provision of a fastener of this character in which means are provided for the detachable connection of the elements, novel provision being made for releasing said means without distorting the same and detracting from the life of the button.

With the above and other objects of similar nature in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, set forth in and falling within the scope of the appended claim.

In the drawing -Figure 1 is a plan View of my improved butto-n, the head being partially broken away. Fig. 2 is a' central sectional View therethrough, and Fig. 3 is a .detail sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Y

Referringmow, more particularly to the drawing," my improved fastener is shown as -comprising a shell. orhead portion 10 consisting of a top member 11 and a bottom member 12, said members having their maroppositely directed and crimped together as at 13 whereby a space 14 will be providedbetween the members. The bottom .member 12 is furtherformed with a central opening 15, the surrounding wall of which is directedlaterally at 16 and provides a suitable bearing for receiving the shank portion of the button back.

The back member of the button is shown at 17 and has rising centrally therefrom a shank 18, the latter terminating at its free end in a conical head 19 and being circumlflereitially reduced as at.20 adjacent said The detachable connection for the members 10 and 17 of the button is illustrated generally at 21 and is disposed and housed within the space 14 between the top and bottom members 11 and 12 respectively. This connection'21 consists preferably of a single so length of spring 4wire intermediately bent in circular form to fit singly within the inner circumference of the shell and has its end portions 22extended inwardly of the circle in divergent relation so as to pass beyond and normally intersect. the opening 15 in the'member 12. Thus to detachably connect the button members, the shank 18 of the back is inserted within the bearing 16 and through the opening 15 in the member 12, 70 the inclined surface of the conical head 19 engaging and spreading the ends 22 of the wire 21, and then passing beyond said ends while the latter spring into the reduced portion 20 of the shank and thereby prevent its 75 withdrawal. It will be noted that the top member 11 of the shell has its central portion pressed outwardly as at 23 to provide a recess for receiving the conical head when the button members are connected.

` To permit of releasing the ends 22 of wire from the shank 18, there is formed eccentrically of the members 11 and 12 of the shell an axially alined, circular opening 24, said opening being disposed to register with the space between the ends 22 while the latter normally intersect the opening as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 1.

A suitable implement such as a stylus or similar device havin a tapered endis adapted to be inserted within the opening i' 24 to engage between-theends 22 of .the wire and spread-'said'ends sufficiently to 'disengage the same from the shank 18, after which the button members may be readily @5 detached as is apparent.

It will Abe notedv that by providing the opening 15 in the top of the shell so that the stylus will extend'transversely between the wire ends 22 excessive distortion of the lat- 10.

ter such as might detract from the life of l the button, will be prevented, the size of the opening 15 determining the degree to which said ends may be spread.

I am fully aware that separable fasteners embodying a somewhat similar vdetachable connection haveheretofore been provided but in these fasteners the stylus is isertedkm'" longitudinally between the yieldable portions of the connection, said portions being consequently distorted, and the life of the button materially shortened, there boing n0 provision for limiting the extent to which said portions may be spread. Furthermore an opening provided in the front face of thebutton is more accessible than one entering from the side thereof and detachment of the elements of the button is in consequence facilitated.

What is claimed is A separable fastener including head and back members said head comprising a shell provided With a central opening, and said.

back including a shank insertible throughl said opening, and spring fingers arranged in said head and yieldably spaced apart to normally intersect the opening and detachably engage the shank, said head having therein an aperture opening at right angles to said fingers for the insertion of means transversely between the latter to spread and disengage the same from the shank.

In testimony whereof, I aix my signature, in the 'presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM J. SMITH. Witnesses:

CARL G. SKADBERG, DORIS HARVARD. 

